This next celebrity is one of my favorite singers even though she was well before my time. (Finally, someone who is.) My son, Lukas, has recently stumbled upon the wonderful Ella Fitzgerald, and loves her voice. It’s so velvety smooth. Because of that, my interest has been rekindled. I remember, when I was no more than 12 or 13, my mother took us to see Ella in a live performance. Looking back, I had no idea how momentous that would be.  Let’s see what Etta  has to share. 

Me: What about Etta James? Can we see if we can get her? She just passed away. She’s the one who sang that beautiful song, “At Last.” That’s one of my favorites. She was only 78, 79. Pretty young.

Erik: Okay.

(Pause as Erik disappears to get Etta.)

Jamie: Here she is.

Me: Hi Etta.

Jamie (laughing): I thought, um, I didn’t even get the thought out of my head and she touches my arm and says, “It’s okay; I get that a lot. I thought she was African American. Her hair is so pretty. It looks like—

Me: Really?

Jamie: She’s got really smooth hair.

Me: Are you mulatto, Etta?

Etta: It’s in my family, yes.

Me: If I remember correctly, you had very light skin.

Jamie: It was the hair that threw me off, and she has candy red lipstick on.

Me: Well, Etta, I’ve been singing that song ever since you died. We miss you.

Etta (Placing her hand on her heart): Thank you so much.

Me: So we’re going to ask you some questions. First of all, Etta, I’d like to know what your spiritual mission here.

Jamie: She’s focusing more on the spiritual.

Etta: I’m a big believer in God.

Jamie: The way she says God makes it sound delicious.

Etta: I started in the church. I fell in love with music there. My association with God vibrated with music. I didn’t feel chained.

Jamie: She shows me her wrists.

Etta: I didn’t feel chained to my beliefs, and my spiritual mission, I know it wasn’t about spreading God’s word. It was helping people know that God’s words were theirs.

Jamie: Her posture is amazing, by the way.

Me: Can you tell me more about that? Can you give me some more details?

Jamie: She’s chatty, and I already lost it. I told her to back it on up. Erik’s just giggling. It’s funny, every now and then she’ll lean into Erik. You know how you do with a friend like when you’re laughing you kind of lean into them. You kind of touch shoulders. So, they did that just then.

Etta: Nobody really connects in a conversation where it is one-sided, and they are preaching to you how it should be. But everybody seems to connect once they’ve experienced it. So, I knew it was my mission through music to let people experience what God and life is giving us rather than preach it.

Me: So that was something you came here to teach?

Etta: Yes.

Jamie: Plus she calls it her spiritual mission.

Me: Were you here to learn anything?

Jamie (chuckling): Her mouth kind of drops open and she smiles big.

Etta: I was here to learn it all!

Jamie and I laugh.

Erik (laughing) Well, if you could just narrow that down a little bit. What was your favorite thing to learn? What was your most surprising lesson?

Jamie: That’s a great question, Erik!

Me: Very good! That’s my baby!

Jamie: She leans back in her posture.

Etta: My most surprising lesson was to not be in control. I don’t know if I learned how to surrender. I never knew that it was a difficult thing for me until my life was threatened with it.

Me: What do you mean?

Jamie: Yeah, Erik was on top of it. He does, “Threatened by what? What do you mean?

Etta: Disease.

Me: Like some sort of illness?

Jamie: She’s talking about some disease. I’d liked to say it was some sort of cancer, because it grows, but it’s not really cancer.

Me: Okay. Well do you think you accomplished most of what you came here to do?

Etta: I accomplished most of it.

Me: Good. What sort of insights did you gain since your passing?

(Pause)

Jamie: She has such a smile! I can’t stop looking at it because of that lipstick.

Etta: It was to my surprise after I passed that there was so much happiness that I never got to experience.

Me: Aw.

Etta: Now I wasn’t a depressed young lady. I was very happy. I was just so surprised that there was so much more that I didn’t do, and that was just like looking at other people on Earth and looking at what they found joyful and happy. It’s all simplicity—the simplicity of life.

Me: Oh, I see. Can you share another life that you think influenced this last one?

Etta (laughing): Oh, I’ve never heard of a question like that!

Me: We get that a lot.

(Pause)

Jamie (to Etta) Okay, where are you in that life?

(Pause)

Jamie: She’s a male, and she has these cut skins from an animal.

Me: Animal pelts?

Jamie: Yes. They’re small. These are like possums or squirrels or raccoons, and she’s making little had drums.

Me: Okay.

Jamie: She’s got wax and –she’s really visual. She’s not really talking me through it much. She’s got this rope and she’s weaving the pelts, it looks like on what looks like a coconut. It’s hollow and large like a coconut. It makes these little sounds. She’s showing me she lived in South America. She’s saying it’s more tribal though. It’s like an Indian—

Me: When was this?

(Pause)

Erik: Yeah, chronologically but in terms of Earth time.

Etta: It was before my last lifetime.

Jamie: It’s looking like the 1600s. She’s near the ocean, but she’s not on it.

Etta: Most all of the stories—everything was told in song, music. I was the one who made the finger drums. I was not a good singer, but I got the rhythm that nobody could shake, but could not sing.

Me: Well you sure made up for that!

Etta: I feel like that life influenced me most and was the life that gave me a sense of calm and beauty. I always felt that wherever I was, I was going to be okay.

Me: Aw, that’s wonderful. And you were right!

Etta: I was; I was right.

Me: Do you have any advice or messages for humanity or anybody in particular?

Etta: My mom was always full of advice!

Jamie and I laugh.

Etta: She always had something to tell me, and you know I did not get that from her.  I can always think of wonderful things about five minutes too late!

Jamie: She’s giggling

Etta: I knew this was coming, and I just want to let people know that no matter how many times something has been done, when you do it, it personally belongs to you.

Me: You can march to your own finger drum!

Etta: Yes! Don’t give up and don’t stop if you’ve already seen it done, because the world hasn’t seen the way you’ve done it.

Me: Oh, interesting. What wonderful advice! Now Erik, do you have any questions for Ms. James?

Erik: No, I really like that.

Me: All right. Well thank you very much, Etta. We really appreciate it. Are you doing okay in your new environment?

Etta: I’m doing wonderful, I’ve been accepted with open arms.

Me: Of course! Who wouldn’t accept Ms. Etta James! Again thank you so much for your time.

Jamie: She’s waving. Aw, she gives Erik a little kiss on the cheek!

Me: How sweet! Boy, you’re on everybody’s A list over there, Erik!

Erik: Can you believe I got that kiss?